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National Teacher of the Year finds the good in each day, despite hard times

Published September 4, 2023 at 9:40 AM EDT
High school teacher Rebecka Peterson recognizes that it's rare for students to be taught by a biracial, bilingual female in mathematics. (Courtesy)
High school teacher Rebecka Peterson recognizes that it's rare for students to be taught by a biracial, bilingual female in mathematics. (Courtesy)

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High school teacher Rebecka Peterson recognizes that it’s rare for students to be taught by a biracial, bilingual female in mathematics. That’s one reason why — as Oklahoma’s Teacher of the Year, and this year’s National Teacher of the Year — she’s lifting up her identity as a Swedish-Iranian immigrant.

We revisit a conversation Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes had with Peterson in May, about how she’s using her moment in the spotlight to help fellow teachers struggling through unprecedented challenges find the good in each day.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.